The present invention relates to a fixture and system for automatically providing goods and/or services based on scanning processed film.
It is known to xe2x80x9cpre-burnxe2x80x9d images on photographic film. A frame or frames have been exposed during manufacture of a One Time Use Camera (OTUC) so that an image which is not captured by the user of the camera is available for printing. A method for creating a latent image on the film in a camera is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,189,453 issued to Boyd. This method provides the user of the camera with latent imagery that is not captured by that user, but the exposure must be made at the time of manufacture, and the quality of the image is limited to that which the OTUC is capable of obtaining. Since this image is captured at the time of manufacture, the capture of the special image precedes the use of the camera, often by a period of months. Also, due to the economics of the manufacturing and distribution systems, the use of special exposures is limited to large lot sizes. A small number of special image exposures corresponding to an event is not economically feasible. Additionally, the stocking of OTUCs specific to particular special images poses a problem. If the popularity of the particular type of special image wanes, the retailer is left with undesirable OTUCs.
Another approach is to use a fixture to capture special images at the point of sale. The OTUC is placed in a fixture to capture an xe2x80x9cimage of an image.xe2x80x9d This method suffers from poor quality due to the capture and illumination system of the OTUC, or if well illuminated, from the expense of that illumination. This capture must be of a special image captured prior to purchase of the OTUC. Additionally, this method is capable of economically capturing only a special image of another image. The logistics of capturing a xe2x80x9crealxe2x80x9d scene by the retailer are prohibitive.
Another method of indicating a desire for special photofinishing or images is that of U.S. Pat. No. 5,587,752 issued to Petruchik. This method uses a special camera to place marks on the film. These marks may make selections from an image set specified by a code placed on the film at the time of film manufacture. This method utilizes a specialized camera and an image set code encoded at the time of manufacture.
One of the purposes of the present invention is to overcome these limitations.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a fixture for capturing an image of an instruction card by a camera, the fixture comprising,
a support member extending from the support surface for supporting the support surface a fixed distance from a surface on which the fixture is placed, said support member defining a retaining area for receiving an instruction card so that said camera placed on said cradle can capture an image of an image of an instruction placed on said instruction card.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is provided a system for capturing an image of an instruction card by a camera, the system comprising,
a fixture having a support surface having a cradle for receiving a camera and a support member extending from the support surface for supporting the support surface at a fixed distance from a surface on which the fixture is placed; and
an instruction card having an instruction thereon for placement in the fixture so that the camera placed on the cradle can capture an image of the instruction card.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for obtaining goods and/or services by using a camera and a fixture, said fixture having a support surface having a cradle for receiving the camera fixed distance from a surface on which the fixture is placed, the support member defining a retaining area for receiving an instruction placed on the instruction card comprising the steps of:
a. capturing an image of an instruction card placed in the fixture on film in a camera that is positioned on the cradle, the instruction card having at least one machine readable code thereon;
b. developing the film;
c. scanning the developed film so as read the machine readable code; and
d. providing at least one goods and/or services with respect to the machine readable code.
In still anther aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for obtaining goods and/or services by using a camera and a fixture, the fixture having a support surface having a cradle for receiving the camera and a support member extending from the support surface for supporting the camera fixed distance from a surface on which the fixture is placed, the support member defining a retaining area for receiving an instruction card so that the camera placed on the cradle can capture an image of an instruction card, comprising the steps of;
a. capturing an image of an instruction card placed in the fixture on film in a camera that is positioned on the cradle, the instruction card having at least one machine readable code thereon;
b. forwarding the captured image of the instruction card to a photofinisher; and
c. providing at least one goods and/or services with respect to the machine readable code.
These and other aspects, objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood and appreciated from a review of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and appended claims, and by reference to the accompanying drawings.